With the widespread implementation of computer networks in office and home environments, many such networks would benefit from configurations that include multiple printers. Multiple networked printers provide redundancy, and thus, enhanced availability, as well as a more extensive offering of print services and features to the workstations connected to the network. For example, a given workstation that is connected to a network that includes multiple printers could avail itself of any of the services and features offered by any of the network-connected printers.
Known implementations of networks with multiple printers often require an external service in order for computers to locate and utilize the printers. This is especially true in instances in which the printers' network addresses are not static and may change, such as with dynamically allocated addresses. For example, LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol) may be required to locate an available network printer. For another example, RIP software may be required for processing (e.g., rasterizing) and managing print jobs to multiple computers.
One possible configuration that a network of printers may take is a cluster configuration. With a cluster of printers, a user sends a print job to the cluster and it is typically transparent to the user as to the determination of which printer or printers actually receives the job. However, known approaches to cluster printing require unique printer drivers to manage the cluster. Furthermore, such drivers are unique to particular models or brands of printers. Hence, management of multiple sets of drivers on a given workstation becomes a challenge. Therefore, such printer clusters are considered inflexible and lacking scalability.
Hence, based on the foregoing, there is a clear need for an improved technique for printing to a cluster of printers. There is a more specific need for a technique for printing to a cluster of printers which does not require external services, additional hardware or unique printer drivers.